OBJECTIVE: Defining normal stool habit is important when evaluating diarrhoea or constipation, but common confounders such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or the intake of medications with gastrointestinal side effects have not been considered in earlier population based studies defining what is normal. We hypothesized that the exclusion of subjects with common confounders would help to better understand what are "normal bowel habits". We aimed to prospectively study bowel habits in a carefully studied random sample of the general population. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Two hundred and sixty-eight randomly selected subjects between 18 and 70 years completed symptom diaries for one week and were clinically evaluated by a gastroenterologist. They also had a colonoscopy and laboratory investigations to exclude organic disease. RESULTS: One hundred and twenty-four subjects had no organic gastrointestinal abnormality, IBS, or relevant medication; 98% of them had between three stools per day and three per week. Seventy-seven percent of all stools were normal, 12% hard, and 10% loose in consistency. Urgency was reported by 36%; straining by 47% and incomplete defecation by 46%. After the exclusion of subjects with organic abnormalities, women had significantly more symptoms than men in terms of abdominal pain, bloating, constipation, urgency, and feeling of incomplete evacuation but these gender differences disappeared after excluding subjects with IBS. CONCLUSIONS: This study confirms that normal stool frequency is between three per week and three per day. We could not demonstrate any gender or age differences in terms of stool frequency, defecatory symptoms or abdominal bloating. Some degree of urgency, straining, and incomplete evacuation should be considered normal.
OBJECTIVE: Defining normal stool habit is important when evaluating diarrhoea or constipation, but common confounders such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or the intake of medications with gastrointestinal side effects have not been considered in earlier population based studies defining what is normal. We hypothesized that the exclusion of subjects with common confounders would help to better understand what are "normal bowel habits". We aimed to prospectively study bowel habits in a carefully studied random sample of the general population. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Two hundred and sixty-eight randomly selected subjects between 18 and 70 years completed symptom diaries for one week and were clinically evaluated by a gastroenterologist. They also had a colonoscopy and laboratory investigations to exclude organic disease. RESULTS: One hundred and twenty-four subjects had no organic gastrointestinal abnormality, IBS, or relevant medication; 98% of them had between three stools per day and three per week. Seventy-seven percent of all stools were normal, 12% hard, and 10% loose in consistency. Urgency was reported by 36%; straining by 47% and incomplete defecation by 46%. After the exclusion of subjects with organic abnormalities, women had significantly more symptoms than men in terms of abdominal pain, bloating, constipation, urgency, and feeling of incomplete evacuation but these gender differences disappeared after excluding subjects with IBS. CONCLUSIONS: This study confirms that normal stool frequency is between three per week and three per day. We could not demonstrate any gender or age differences in terms of stool frequency, defecatory symptoms or abdominal bloating. Some degree of urgency, straining, and incomplete evacuation should be considered normal.
Authors: Gillian Eleanor Cassar; George Youssef J; Simon R Knowles; Richard Moulding; David Austin Journal: Turk J Gastroenterol Date: 2021-10 Impact factor: 1.555
Authors: Vivian W Sung; Charles R Rardin; Christina A Raker; Christine A LaSala; Deborah L Myers Journal: Am J Obstet Gynecol Date: 2012-06-29 Impact factor: 8.661
Authors: Ferdinando Bonfiglio; Tenghao Zheng; Koldo Garcia-Etxebarria; Fatemeh Hadizadeh; Luis Bujanda; Francesca Bresso; Lars Agreus; Anna Andreasson; Aldona Dlugosz; Greger Lindberg; Peter T Schmidt; Pontus Karling; Bodil Ohlsson; Magnus Simren; Susanna Walter; Gerardo Nardone; Rosario Cuomo; Paolo Usai-Satta; Francesca Galeazzi; Matteo Neri; Piero Portincasa; Massimo Bellini; Giovanni Barbara; Anna Latiano; Matthias Hübenthal; Vincent Thijs; Mihai G Netea; Daisy Jonkers; Lin Chang; Emeran A Mayer; Mira M Wouters; Guy Boeckxstaens; Michael Camilleri; Andre Franke; Alexandra Zhernakova; Mauro D'Amato Journal: Gastroenterology Date: 2018-04-05 Impact factor: 22.682
Authors: Paul T Heitmann; Paul F Vollebregt; Charles H Knowles; Peter J Lunniss; Phil G Dinning; S Mark Scott Journal: Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol Date: 2021-08-09 Impact factor: 46.802
Authors: Maria Henström; Lena Diekmann; Ferdinando Bonfiglio; Fatemeh Hadizadeh; Eva-Maria Kuech; Maren von Köckritz-Blickwede; Louise B Thingholm; Tenghao Zheng; Ghazaleh Assadi; Claudia Dierks; Martin Heine; Ute Philipp; Ottmar Distl; Mary E Money; Meriem Belheouane; Femke-Anouska Heinsen; Joseph Rafter; Gerardo Nardone; Rosario Cuomo; Paolo Usai-Satta; Francesca Galeazzi; Matteo Neri; Susanna Walter; Magnus Simrén; Pontus Karling; Bodil Ohlsson; Peter T Schmidt; Greger Lindberg; Aldona Dlugosz; Lars Agreus; Anna Andreasson; Emeran Mayer; John F Baines; Lars Engstrand; Piero Portincasa; Massimo Bellini; Vincenzo Stanghellini; Giovanni Barbara; Lin Chang; Michael Camilleri; Andre Franke; Hassan Y Naim; Mauro D'Amato Journal: Gut Date: 2016-11-21 Impact factor: 23.059